Chapter 3

After Ryan left, the Linwood family sent a legal notice to Hawthorne Group.

Hawthorne Group had thirty days to pay up.

Word got around fast in the social scene.

Some said I was savage.

Others said Ryan didn't appreciate what he had.

Most people were here for the show.

That afternoon, my bestie Grace Turner called me, her voice buzzing with excitement. "Summer, you're trending."

I was flipping through a contract and asked casually, "What's up?"

"Nina Sterling posted something on her social media." Grace sent me a screenshot.

In the photo, Nina was lying in a hospital bed, an IV in her hand, looking pale.

The caption read: [I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have been at an event that wasn't mine, and I shouldn't have eaten things I wasn't supposed to. If people dislike me, I completely understand.]

There were tons of comments below.

[Nina, don't cry. You're already so thoughtful.]

[Some spoiled heiresses are unbelievable. She made a scene at the engagement party, and now she's even pushed someone into the hospital.]

[Ryan's taking care of her like a little sister, right? Some people are so twisted that they see dirt in everything.]

Grace cursed under her breath. "Her 'innocent' routine is so strong it's making me sick."

I stared at the post, my face blank. "Did Ryan like it?"

"Yeah, he did." Grace paused for a couple of seconds, then added, "He even left a comment."

I opened the screenshot.

Ryan's comment was one simple line: [Just rest up, don't stress yourself out.] There were seven words.

I stared at it for a long time, then let out a laugh.

Grace asked cautiously, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

The worst part was when I was still holding onto hope.

But at that moment, I stopped expecting anything, so the pain barely registered anymore.

*****

That evening, Monica called me.

This time, her voice was way gentler. "Summer, I know things have been tough for you. But 27 million dollars isn't a small sum, and Hawthorne Group has a few big projects tied up right now. Thirty days is really pushing it."

I didn't say anything.

She continued, "You and Ryan have been together for years. You really shouldn't let things get this messy over someone who's not even part of your relationship. Nina's clueless, and I'll talk to her."

I asked softly, "Mrs. Hawthorne, what do you think I should do?"

She seemed to relax a little. "Pull back the legal notice for now, and we'll reschedule the engagement party. As for Nina, I'll make sure she keeps her distance from you from now on."

"Just keep her away?" I let out a laugh. "Not gone for good?"

Monica paused. "After all, she's the daughter of Ryan's savior. The Hawthorne family can't ignore her."

Here we went again with the whole "savior's daughter" card.

The first time Nina showed up, she was already playing that angle.

Everyone said her dad died saving Ryan in a car crash, and before he passed, he asked the Hawthorne family to take care of his daughter.

So Ryan always had her back. Monica let her do whatever she wanted.

Everyone kept telling me I should let it go. After all, she's the daughter of the guy who saved Ryan.

But I was not some extra in the story. I was not here to be the Hawthorne family's tool for paying back favors.

I spoke slowly, "Mrs. Hawthorne, if you want to settle your debts, that's your business. Don't use my marriage as your way to pay it back."

Her tone turned icy. "Summer, don't be so overbearing."

I stared out into the night. "Mrs. Hawthorne, you're mistaken. I'm not being overbearing. I'm here to collect my dues."

After hanging up, I had my assistant pull together Hawthorne Group's financial reports from the past three years.

*****

At ten that night, my assistant sent over the files.

Hawthorne Group might have looked like it was on top of the world, but its cash flow had already been stretched thin.

The 27 million dollars from the Linwood family was their lifeline for the next quarter.

If they couldn't pay it back, their partners would make a move.

When I flipped to the last page, my fingers paused.

There was an old file tucked inside. It was a news clipping about the Hawthorne family's car accident from years ago.

Nina's father did pass away in that crash. The article spelled it out. It was all because of driver fatigue and a mistake behind the wheel. Not a single mention of any "savior" at all.

I stared at that line, and something felt off.

If the Sterling family was never the Hawthorne family's so-called savior, then what was really going on here? Why did Nina get treated like she was untouchable by the Hawthorne family?